Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-10-30

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

The ease of international travel and the spread of various kinds of mass media all over the world have made it more possible than ever for people to know how other people live in other countries.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence. Write at least 250 words.

Student answer (Band 5.0)

In the modern world, the ease of international travel and spread of different kinds of mass media platforms all over the world have made it more possible than ever for people to know the lifestyle of the foreigners. I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages because people can inform about other countries and learn foreign cultures.

One major advantage is that people may be informed about other countries. This is because most people prefer travelling and using different kinds of social media platforms. When people go to travelling in other countries, they can learn foreign traditions and cultures. In addition, the spread of various kinds of mass media also very beneficial because these media show foreign lifestyle and their traditional events, which many people can watch at home without travelling abroad. For example, many students go abroad for travelling and they may learn many things. Furthermore, many events have shown by media, which many students and people can observe. As a result, people may know many things about other countries which is very beneficial for them.

One significant drawback is that travelling abroad using media is very expensive. The main reason is that people have to spend a high amount of money for travelling and watching media. Why this is very expensive? There are several reason, for example, people not only purchase air ticket but also manage their living cost. When they go to travelling in other countries, they have to spend money on living at the same time on foods. In addition, showing foreign events on social media also very costly because there is an extra cost of the internet. Consequently, people may suffer from many problems because of money crisis.

In conclusion, although both views have their own merits, I believe travelling in other countries and watching media is more beneficial than its drawbacks because people can learn new things, which create a positive impact on people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You state a clear overall view—that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages—and discuss both benefits and drawbacks, so the response addresses the central question. The strongest relevant point is that travel and media can expose people to foreign traditions and events. However, the advantages are mainly asserted rather than explained with specific, convincing examples, and the example about students travelling remains general. The drawback paragraph also focuses on the cost of travel and internet access, rather than examining broader disadvantages of learning about other societies through travel and media. This leaves the comparison between advantages and disadvantages underdeveloped. To strengthen the response, explain how cultural knowledge benefits people and weigh that benefit directly against a clearly developed disadvantage.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “In addition,” “Furthermore,” and “As a result” help signal relationships between points. However, progression within the body paragraphs is sometimes repetitive: several sentences restate that people can learn or know about other countries without adding a distinct supporting step. Some connections are also unclear, particularly the shift from travel and media to the claim that “watching media” is expensive. The rhetorical question “Why this is very expensive?” interrupts the formal flow. Organise each paragraph around one main claim, then develop it with a reason and a specific example, using fewer repeated transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “foreign traditions and cultures,” “traditional events,” and “living cost.” However, the range is limited and several phrases are repeated, especially “people,” “many things,” and “other countries.” Some word choices or collocations are noticeably unnatural, such as “know the lifestyle of the foreigners,” “go to travelling,” and “money crisis,” which can make the meaning less precise. Aim for more natural expressions and a wider range of terms for cultural exchange, media exposure, and financial costs. For example, describe people as gaining “insight into other cultures” and refer to “financial strain” rather than relying on broad or awkward phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “because,” “which,” and “when,” and the overall meaning is usually understandable. However, errors occur frequently in sentence construction and agreement, and some complex attempts are faulty. Examples include “the spread … also very beneficial,” which needs a verb, “many events have shown by media,” which has an incorrect passive form, and “There are several reason,” where the noun should be plural. The question “Why this is very expensive?” also has incorrect question word order. Practise accurate subject–verb patterns, passive constructions, and question formation before adding more complex clauses. Careful editing for articles, plurals, and sentence completeness would improve clarity.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.